Oregon’s Silver Falls State Park has a new shop in its Smith Creek Village for park visitors coming to check out the iconic waterfalls and 7.2-mile hike. Ten Falls Supply Co. is housed in a quaint hut adjacent to the South Falls Lodge & Café, offering customers a mix of hiking gear and souvenirs to commemorate their time in the park.
The store made its debut in May after Guest Services Inc. won the contract to operate concessions at Silver Falls State Park.
“We are excited to have Silver Falls as our first location in Oregon,” says Mark Johnson, director of retail for Guest Services Inc. “Ten Falls Supply Co. is a brand-new concept, located in a historic 450-square-foot stone building that was originally a garage.”
Despite its small footprint, the gift shop packs in everything guests might need on their hikes.
“We have packed an amazing array of active gear and apparel into only 450 square feet, earning the moniker, ‘The world’s best little hiking store,’” Johnson touts.
Follow through the pictures for key takeaways on how to create a top-notch park store no matter the footprint.
Ready for business
Ten Falls Supply Co. might be new, but the building itself has been around Silver Falls State Park since the 1930s. Made of native stone and timber, the building originally served as a garage for park vehicles.
Johnson says the doors normally stay open during business hours to make this park store seem a bit larger, with the store name and logo front and center on the door. Some souvenir T-shirts and tote bags on racks near the entrance encourage passersby to check it out.
Tip: By keeping the doors wide open, potential guests can see the store’s nice display table without having to come in.
Add a name drop
Merchandise is all clearly visible throughout the store, with no shortage of T-shirts. Johnson says many of the T-shirts feature the Silver Falls State Park name drop or even a large “7.2” that might garner some attention.
“When hikers are in the store purchasing supplies for their hike, they will notice a collection of items that celebrate the completion of the loop, including T-shirts with a large ‘7.2’ and hats embroidered with ‘I Hiked the Trail of Ten Falls,’” he says. “This inspires them to complete the loop so they can return to the store to purchase these trophies.”
Tip: Stock souvenirs that call out unique features of the park or the name drop to help customers celebrate and remember their hike.
Keep pets in mind
The main display table at the front of the store features a thoughtful mix of souvenir T-shirts and caps as well as some hiking essentials such as sunglasses, drawstring bags and even dog treats for hungry pets at the park. The destination retailer didn’t forget to have some pet waste bag dispensers for guests who might have forgotten those back home, either!
Tip: Pets like hikes, too! Have some essentials for furry friends visiting the park.
Sustainable and local finds
Luxury Turkish travel towels and blankets might not be common at park stores, but Ten Falls Supply Co. has a table piled with these sustainably made towels from wholesale vendor Shaka Love. Johnson says the store tries to find products that are either made from recycled materials or give back to the environment.
Local gifts made by artists from Oregon are also on display at the store, such as handcrafted jewelry and custom designs on mugs.
“Roughly 40% of our vendors are made or based in Oregon, and 60% of our products are made in the USA,” says Johnson. “Items that are imported are made from recycled materials or give back to the environment through 1% for the Planet programs. We have given each and every product in the store thoughtful consideration.”
Tip: Sustainably made and sourced souvenirs align well with many parks’ missions of protecting the environment.
Ready for the elements
The gift shop conveys independent hiking store vibes, with some guests describing it as a “mini REI.” Johnson says that description isn’t too far off the mark.
“We have essentials that will get you through the hike safely — hydration supplies, healthy snacks, Darn Tough socks, first aid kits, waterproof bags, rain jackets, maps, etc. And we have items that will help you celebrate and remember your hike,” he says.
Some souvenirs — such as caps, hoodies and jackets — can also be essential hiking gear, particularly if a customer forgot to bring an extra layer on cold days.
Tip: Always offer apparel for all seasons so people can wear their new souvenir apparel on the hike.
Think about add-on sales
When setting up store displays, Ten Falls Supply Co. mixes and matches offerings within its display tables to encourage add-on sales. Instead of having all the mugs on one table, the store shows off an assortment of mugs, tumblers and some locally roasted coffee to try in the new drinkware.
Trail snacks are also great add-on sale options. Customers can find granola bars and nuts along a back wall of the store.
Tip: Don’t forget to stock food and drink for hikers who want a snack on the hike. 
